Process of producing imitation fabric.



H. R.'L|STER.

PROCESS OF PRODUQING IMITATION FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. 1913.

1,255,@3L Patented Jan.29,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A 4 W90, who; 1 3% at ti zneu H. R. LISTER.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING IMITATION FABRIC. APPLICATIONYVFILED MAR. 5, I913. 1,255,31 Patented. Jan. 29, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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HENRY 3a. LISTER, or NEW YORK, N. Y., AssIGNoR T0 JOSEPH BE1\T1\T & SONS, INc., or GREYSTONE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION or RHOIJE ISLAND PROCESS or PRODUCING IMITATIO FABR IG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 29, 1918.

Application filed March 5, 1913. Serial- No. 752,160.

To all whom it may] concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY R. LISTER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, now residing at High Bridge, borough of Manhattan, city and State of New York, (whose post-oflice address is H0 Broadway, New York city,) have invented Processes of Producing Imitation Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fabrics and the treatment of fabrics, and more especially comprises a fabric and a process for producing an imitation of Persian lamb, and an irregular net used in carrying out the process, the object being to secure a very close and permanent imitation of the real article. In accordance with my process I take a suitable fabric and treat it in such manner as to produce a surface configuration of the desired character, which is different from the natural or original surface of the goods, and is permanent. For the production of imitation Persian lamb by my process there are fabrics now known in commerce which are suitable as the starting material. Such fabrics are more especially fabrics with a curled pile of mohair, silk or luster wool of appropriate length and thickness as to its loops or tufts. The material that I prefer to start with is the form of pile fabric now commercially used as an imitation of Persian lamb, that is to say an Astrakhan cloth. However, if desired, the fabric to be treated by the subsequent steps of the process could be especially made with a view to securing an even more advantageous material on which to work.

Having thus produced or supplied myself with a suitable fabric I make a net, as by knitting, and for the production of imitation Persian lamb care is taken to make the net of an irregular character, anything in the nature of a repeating design, or check or stripe, or other regular effect being avoided. The fabric and the net, taken in co-eXtensivo pieces, are then placed in close juxtaposition and are subjected to the action of steam under pressure. After this has been continued for a suitable period, the fabric is allowed to cool and is then dried. The configuration of the surface or pile of the fabric is now found to be changed, the general effect being more irregular than formerly and the curliness being modified, so that the product presents the characteristic appearance of real Persian lamb, and, furthermore, the surface is permanently set in this changed configuration, so that moisture will not alter it. This process canalso be performed on plain pile fabrics. In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention:

Figure 1 represents a portion of a not suitable for use in my process;

Fi 2 is a View of a section of the cord suita le for use in the making of the net;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views indicating diagrammatically and in a general way the difference in surface configuration between the starting material and the final product, Fig. 3 being intended to represent a surface View of a piece of commercial Astrakhan cloth and Fig. 4: being intended to represent a piece of the imitation Persian lamb resulting from my process;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view indicating one kind of fabric used for the starting material;

Fig. 6 is a semi-diagrammatic View illustrating the step of winding the fabric and net into a roll;

Fig. 7 represents a roll placedvin a suitbe all cut, all drawn, or partly cut and partly drawn. As is well known, these terms mean that all of the pile loops are cut, as indicated at the right of Fig. 5, alluncut as indicated at the left of the same view (the wires over which the loops were formed being drawn out,) or part of the loops may be cut and part uncut.

The net, a portion of which is represented in Fig. 1, is best made of a medium laid or twisted cord, as soft twisted andhard twisted cord are not found as desirable, but are not necessarily excluded. Different sizes of twisted cord maybe used. I prefer to use a medium laid cord, the same consisting of forty-eight strands containing three cotton cords twisted together, each of these three cords containing sixteen strands and each strand consisting of twenty cotton threads twisted together. Such a cord is represented in Fig. 2, the ends being untwisted to show the three component cords of which the whole is composed. I find that a cord made of three small cords twisted together is desirable, because it has about the right coarseness of twist. This cord is made into a net preferably by knitting, though a suitable net can be made by crocheting and even by weaving. A suitable net may be made by plain knitting reversed every four stitches so as to break up any tendency to form a definite pattern. As indicated in Fig. 1, the net is composed of highly irregular convolutions, and the openings or meshes are rather large. The whole structure is comparatively loose. For the production of imitation Persian lamb no attempt is made to produce a Persian lamb pattern in the net, there being in fact no apparent resemblance between the net and the completed product. The object of the net is to provide a structure which will contact with the fabric to be treated at a multiplicity of small, irregular areas, which are irregularly distributed over the surfacethat is to say, the different parts of the net or web which will. bear against the fabric consist of portions of the cord of different length and of different direction or curvature, and each contacting portion comprises more or less separated or differentiated points of contact or pressure, due to the comparatively coarse twist of the cord.

The net or web produced in the manner indicated is stitched upon a substantial piece of plain cotton cloth or canvas to form a plain back or support for the net.

While the manner of associating the net and fabric for the steam treatment may be varied I prefer to wind them together in the form of a roll. As indicated in Fig. 6, the net 13 with its backing 14 may be supplied from one roll 15 and the fabric 16 may be supplied from another roll 17. The two strips, preferably of equal width, are led to a perforated winding roller or cylinder 18, where they are wound together with the pile side of the fabric against or facing the net side of the completed web. As the materials wind onto the cylinder 18 they may pass beneath a pressure roller 19.whichserves to lay them closer together and tension is applied to the fabric 16, and, if desired, also to the completed web, by exerting a braking effect on one or both of the unwinding rolls. In this way the materials are wound in close contact, and preferably with such tightness as to hold the layers together with a fair amount of pressure. The roll when wound is covered with a suitable textile cover, such as a cotton wrapper, to keep it from unwinding, and it is then placed in a chamber, which may be of cylindrical form, as indicated at 20, in Fig. 7. The roller 18 on which the materials were wound is preferably a foraminous or perforated hollow cylinder, which is adapted to be connected with an opening 21 for admitting steam from a boiler. This inlet may be through the door as shown or through the opposite end of the chamber. Fig. 7 shows a roll designated 23, in the steam chamber. In this position one end of its perforated cylinder 18 is connected in any suitable manner with the inlet 21.

The steam chamber is closed against the escape of steam, but care is taken to discharge its accumulated water or condensed steam from time to time, by meansof a valved outlet 24, to prevent wetting the goods. The arrangement is such that the steam enters the perforated support 18, and can escape therefrom only by passing outward through the roll of fabric. The chamber may be provided with a door or lid as indicated, for introduction of the roll and its support, this door being adapted to be clamped or bolted tightly shut to hold the pressure. As indicated the space between the periphery of the roll and the cylindrical wall f the chest can be comparatively narrow. \Vhen the steam finally passes through the roll and reaches this space, the pressure in the space rises until it reaches a point somewhat lower than the pressure in the interior of the support 18. The pressures then remain stationary.

Saturated or wet steam is supplied to the interior of the roll at a pressure of about that of one atmosphere on the steam gage. The pressure of the steam may be varied, but excellent results are secured by a pres sure of fourteen or fifteen pounds above atmospheric, that is to say a pressure over vacuum of about two atmospheres. For best results moisture is applied to the fabric before steaming it. To this end the fabric may be sprayed before winding it with the web.

or as it is being wound, or the completed roll may be moistened. The steaming operation is continued for a variable period, but I have found that best results are secured by continuing the action for about thirty minutes. The arrangement described with this best embodiment of the invention is such that the associated fabric and net are not only steamed, but pressed together by the passage of the steam outward through the roll in order to reach the exterior of the roll. of material.

By the procedure described the fabric in contact with the net is subjected to the action of steam under pressure having a conse quently elevated temperature, and while be ing subjected to the action of the steam the fabric being due partially to the tension .under which the roll was wound and partially to vthe steam pressing the layers against each other asit passes throughthem.

It will thus be seen that while the steam acts upon the fibers of a pile, the latter are confined at certain points and regions .by the pressure of the contacting portions of the web, and at other regions aremore or less free, so that the behavior of the pile under the steam treatment is diversified. The fibers are softened and the result shows that their curl or texture is afiected notonly at the points and regions where the'net pressed against the fabric, but also where the open spaces in the net occurred,and the finaleffeet is thus due in part to the irregularity of the net and in part to the different action of the relatively confined and unconfined portions of the pile when subjected to the steam treatment.

After the steam treatment the fabric is allowed to cool slowly in the roll. For best results I find that the roll should be allowed to stand for a period of twenty-four hours, or until it is entirely cooled and brought down to normal temperature. The curls set and become practically permanent. I now unwind the roll and separate the fabric and the web. The treatment of the fabric is completed by drying it, which is best accomplished by placing it in an artificially heated chamber or space, the wall of which is represented at 240 in Fig. 8. In the drying step the fabric may be mounted on a wheeled frame as indicated at 25. The drying operation is continued for about twelve hours, though the period and temperature may be varied.

The product obtained by the foregoing process is characterized by an improved luster, the closeness with which it imitates real Persian lamb, and the permanency of its configuration. I have found that boiling the said product will not take out the curl or change the effect of this process, which curl has become set and permanent for all practical purposes.

lVhat is claimed as new is:

1. The method of producing a fabric in imitation of Persian lamb, which comprises taking a curly pile fabric, making a net of irregular convolutions, placing the two in close juxtaposition, and subjecting them to the action of steam.

2. The method of producing a fabric in imitation of Persian lamb, which comprises taking a curly pile fabric, knitting a net having irregular meshes, placing the two in close juxtaposition, and subjecting them to the action of steam under pressure.

3. The method of producing a fabric in imitation of Persian lamb, which comprises takingzacurly "pile fabric, .:making :a :net of irregular convolutions, placing the two in close juxtaposition, and subjecting them to the action of steam,at a pressure-of about two-atmospheres.

4. The method of producing a fabric in imitation of Persian lamb, which comprises takinga curly pilefabric, making a net of irregular convolutions, winding the two :together. in close juxtaposition, and subjecting the resulting wound product to the prolonged action of steam under pressure.

.5. The method of producing a fabric in imitation of Persianlamb, which comprises taking-a curly pile fabric,.making a net of irregular convolutions, placing the two in close juxtaposition and forcing through them.

6. The method of producing a fabric in imitation of Persian lamb, which comprises taking a curly pile fabric, making a net of irregular convolutions, placing them upon a perforated support, and forcing steam through them.

7. The method of producing a fabric in imitation of Persian lamb, which comprises winding a suitable pile fabric and a not having irregular meshes together in a roll, and steaming them in the roll for a predetermined period.

8. The method of producing a fabric in imitation of Persian lamb, which comprises winding a suitable pile fabric and a net steam having irregular meshes together in a roll,

and subjecting them in the roll to the action of steam under pressure.

9. The method of producing a fabric in imitation of Persian lamb, which comprises winding a suitable pile fabric and a net of irregular convolutions together, steaming them in the roll, allowing the roll to cool, then unwinding the roll, and drying the fabric.

10. The method of producing a fabric in imitation of Persian lamb, which comprises winding a suitable pile fabric and a net of irregular convolutions together, steaming them in the roll, and cooling the fabric in the roll. 7

11. The method of treating a fabric which comprises winding the fabric and a net of irregular convolutions together in a roll, and causing steam to pass through the roll by virtue of a difference in pressure between the inside and the outside of the roll.

12. The method of treating a fabric which comprises winding the fabric and a net of irregular convolutions together in a roll, and causing steam to pass through from the inside to the outside of the roll.

13. The method of treating a fabric so as to give it a permanently changed superficial appearance, which comprises establishing close juxtaposition between the fabric and a net of irregular convolutions, and subjecting them to steam under pressure for a predetermined time. i

14. The method of treating a fabric so as to give it a permanently changed superficial appearance, which comprises subjecting the fabric and a net of irregular convolutions wound together in a roll to the action of steam under pressure for a. predetermined time.

15. The method of treating a fabric so as to give it a permanently changed superficial appearance, which comprises winding the fabric with a net of irregular convolutions into a roll, steaming the roll under pressure causing the fabric to cool in the roll, unwinding the roll, and drying the fabric.

16. A net for the production of imitation Persian lamb, said net having a multiplicity of irregular convolutions.

17. A net for the production of imitation fabrics, said net being made of twisted cord strands arranged in irregular convolutions so as to form open meshes irregularly dis tributed throughout the net.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HENRY R. LISTER.

Witnesses FREDERICK KUNZ, LoUnLLA F. LITTLE.

@opflea or this patent may be obtained tor five cents eaen, by addrcsstng the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. "3. 

